Most hoteliers have a love hate relationship with TripAdvisor. But no matter where you stand on the spectrum the importance of your hotel’s TripAdvisor ranking and visibility is undeniable.
The data suggests that 67% of travelers check TripAdvisor a few times a month or more and you want those travelers to be able to find your hotel and make a reservation!
So what are the tactics and tools to improve your ranking?
Your hotel TripAdvisor ranking depends on 3 key ingredients: the quantity, quality, and recency of your reviews.
1. Encourage guests to leave a review
Quality of your reviews is the most important factor for your quality score. The quantity and more importantly, recency are, however, still something you need to factor in.
The TripAdvisor algorithm weights recent reviews more than older reviews which means that you need to get constant new reviews if you want to improve or keep your good position.
So what are the tactics you can use to encourage guests to leave a review?
- Train you staff on the importance of encouraging guests to leave online reviews. Leave a printed reminder with their check out receipt;
- Hotels have the option to register for the TripAdvisor Review Collection Program. This allows ReviewPro clients of the Guest Satisfaction Survey to embed the TripAdvisor review form into their survey which in turn builds review volume and boosts rankings;
- Send out follow up emails to your guests and ask them to leave a review and give feedback about their stay;
2. Use the full potential of the "Business Advantage" section.
The TripAdvisor Business Advantage provides hotels with access tools that empower you to better market your property to potential guests, impact booking decisions, differentiate from competitors, and measure and improve your online reputation.
The tools range from photo and video options to advanced analytics and special offers section.
3. Sponsored placement
The sponsored ad placements offer premium exposure in highly visible placements.
They won’t improve your overall ranking but you will still be able to get that valuable exposure. When travelers actively search TripAdvisor for accommodations in your area, your Sponsored Placements will appear in rotation at the top of the page — immediately above the search results. The budget starts from $2.59 which guarantees you about 100 estimated monthly clicks.
4. Apply for a green leader
Is your property environmentally friendly? Then the Green Leader programe is just for you!
As a TripAdvisor GreenLeader, you'll attract the growing numbers of travelers who are interested in environmentally-friendly practices. Your property will stand apart from competitors on TripAdvisor, and your listing page will spotlight your green practices. The program is completely free and voluntary.
Need consultation about your hotel marketing? Make sure to give us a call!